May Madness: No. 1 Maryland vs. No. 4 Syracuse Preview

The NCAA semifinals take place Friday at Villanova Stadium. Top-seeded Maryland will take on No. 4 Syracuse in the second game of the night at 7:30 p.m. The game can be seen live on ESPN3.

A Look Back

What Happened: Syracuse topped Florida in the Carrier Dome, 13-9 to extend their winning streak to 13 and earn their second consecutive NCAA Tournament semifinal bid; Maryland prevailed over visiting Duke in College Park, improving to 21-0 on the season and earning its nation-best 21st semifinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Takeaway: Somebody always steps up for Maryland.
Once again, Maryland’s offense proved over the weekend that they cannot be contained. The Terps were led by Alex Aust’s seven points (5g, 2a) and Brooke Griffin’s four points (3g, 1a), while Katie Schwarzmann was held to just two scores off of eight shots. As it’s been all season long, Maryland’s “pick your poison” attacking unit has just been flawless this entire spring at playing a true team game on the attacking end of the field. When a team focuses in on a single player, the Terps’ depth is always on full display when a number of players respond and lead the way. A bright spot in particular for Maryland this spring has been the emergence and growth of sophomore Brooke Griffin. Though listed as a midfielder on the Terrapin roster, Griffin has seamlessly transitioned into an attacking role for head coach Cathy Reese and currently sits third on the team in points with 67 (46g, 21a).

Double Takeaway: Syracuse defense has grown into one of nation’s toughest to crack.
Assistant coach Regy Thorpe’s decision to change things up on the defensive end of the field has paid dividends for Syracuse this spring. The Orange have not given up more than 10 goals since their loss to Northwestern in March. When Syracuse faced off with Florida a week ago, the Gators were unable to break through the Orange’s zone defense for much of the second half while the Syracuse attack went on a run. The backer defensive zone, led by Becca Block, has been sensational in making stands and causing turnovers in front of sophomore Kelsey Richardson and junior Alyssa Constantino.

By The Numbers: 3
A pair of freshmen All-Americans led their teams over the weekend, as Kayla Treanor led the way for Syracuse with three goals and Taylor Cummings led Maryland’s midfield unit with three ground balls, three draw controls and three caused turnovers. Cummings and Treanor were IL’s No. 1 and No. 2 recruits heading into the season.

A Look Ahead

The Breakdown: Undefeated and No. 1 seeded Maryland enter the program’s 21st semifinal appearance riding higher than any team in the nation. Led by the ACC Attacker, Midfielder, Defender, Freshman and Coach of The Year, the Terps have built quite the resume heading into championship weekend. While Syracuse does not boast the same numbers, the Orange also enter this weekend’s matchup riding a season high. Syracuse, 18-3 overall, has won their last 13 games, including the BIG EAST Tournament. The pair of teams have faced off 14 times with the Terps owning a 12-1 advantage in the series.

What To Watch: The speed of the game.
What is perhaps most exciting about this matchup Friday evening is the athleticism that this pair of teams boast and the speed at which each of these teams play the game. What is sure to be an exciting battle, featuring some of the nation’s top players all over the field — Syracuse will look to continue to feed off their successes defensively, while Maryland hopes to put on another show offensively against the Orange.

Head coach Gary Gait’s team will look to contain Maryland’s attacking unit by stifling their options with the backer zone that they have been playing almost flawlessly as of late. If Maryland hopes to beat this defense, they’ll need to move the ball faster than the zone’s backer, All-American Becca Block. As Block hopes to hit the appropriate doubles and slides, Maryland All-Americans Alex Aust and Katie Schwarzmann will do their best to penetrate and set their teammates up for success. On the offensive end for Syracuse, Kayla Treanor and Tewaaraton finalist Alyssa Murray will attempt to put together another unstoppable 1-2 punch performance as Maryland’s Iliana Sanza hopes to contain. In what could seemingly be a forever-long argument here of which strength will attempt to contain the opposition’s strength — I suppose I can just stop right now, as that is precisely why this will be one of the most exciting games of the season. May the best team win.

Who To Watch: Alex Aust & Kayla TreanorAlex Aust, Maryland, Attack (Sr.)
Alex Aust currently leads the Maryland attacking unit in goals, assists and points during her final season as a Terrapin. A two-time All-American selection, Aust’s ability to set her teammates up for success will be especially crucial under the lights at Villanova University.

Kayla Treanor, Syracuse, Attack (Fr.)
The rookie attacker has had a record-breaking season for Syracuse this spring. A team-leading 67 goals and a second ranked 89 points are both single-season records for a freshman in school history. On the largest stage in Division I lacrosse tomorrow evening, Treanor will look to lead Syracuse over yet another opponent in No. 1 seeded, Maryland.